This invention relates to foot coverings and, more particularly, to a disposable surgical foot covering which may be worn over the bare foot during surgical procedures requiring use of foot controls.
Foot coverings which are disposable have been in wide use in hospitals for many years. They are desirable since they are very cheap to manufacture, are sanitary and may be disposed of after each use, thereby reducing chances of contamination and spread of disease.
Foot coverings of the above type are typically formed of a non-woven paper type material and are susceptible to tearing. They also do not protect well against water or other liquids penetrating the foot covering. For doctors in the operating room, the foot coverings are usually placed over the doctor's own street shoes. There are certain surgical procedures, however, which require the use of sensitive foot controls where the surgeon cannot wear conventional street shoes. The surgeon needs to rely on the feel of the foot controls on the sole of his own foot to operate effectively and safely.
Many times the same surgical procedures requiring operation of foot controls also require use of liquid solutions for application to the patient, an example of such surgery being ophthalmic surgery on the eye. The liquid solutions usually run off the patient and onto the operating floor and, many times, onto the surgeon's own feet. Surgeons have reported the lack of an effective foot covering which provides protection against liquids and other hazards on the operating floor while still maintaining good foot sensitivity while operating surgical foot controls.
It is therefore a principle object of the present invention to provide a disposable surgical foot covering which a surgeon may wear over his bare feet in the operating room during surgical procedures involving the use of foot controls.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a disposable surgical foot covering which provides protection against water or other liquids reaching the surgeon's foot through the foot covering.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a disposable surgical foot covering which provides limited protection from broken glass on the operating room floor piercing the covering and injuring the foot.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a disposable surgical foot covering which provides maximum comfort while maintaining good sensitivity between the surgeon's foot and the foot controls of surgical operating equipment.
It is-still a further object to provide a disposable surgical foot covering having the above mentioned characteristics which is relatively simple in design such that it may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost and which is otherwise economically attractive.
Other objects will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.